Protective pad for stairs



N. C. PARKER.

PROTECTIVE PAD FOR STMRS, APPLICATION FILED sPT.23. 1919.

1 1 R Tiitbnmd June 22, 1920.

INVENTO/i (f @rker- ATTORNEY PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN C. PARKER, OF CHICAGQIIILINOIS.

PROTECTIVE PAD FOR strains.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J n 22 1920 Application filedSeptember 23, 1919. Serial No. 325, 717.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN C. PAnKER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, Ill., have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Protective Pads for Stairs, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to improvements in protective pads forstairs, and particularly has for its object to provide a pad with whicha new surface may bebrought into place as quickly as those parts whichreceive the greatest amount of wear, that is, along the edge of thestair step, become sufliciently worn as to necessitate renewal.Heretofore the whole pad or strip had to be discarded when these partsbecame worn,

whereas according to the present invention I propose to successivelysubject all portions of the material to this intensive wear therebyutilizing its whole structure without waste, and presenting at all timesa neat and unimpaired appearance.

I further propose to provide a pad which may be quickly attached, willbe held taut, thereby preventing wrinkling, and may be taken up withfacility at any time, and washed or otherwise cleaned.

With these and other objects in view, an embodiment of my invention isshown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will behereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing carpeted stair steps, one ofwhich is provided with my improved pad, while upon another step I haveillustrated certain portions of the device;

Fig. 2 is a side View of a step provided with the pad;

Fig. 3 is an edge view showing the pad, and the supporting rods thereforinserted at the ends;

Fig. 4c is an enlarged perspective view of one of the securing fixtures,and showing a portion of the pad and supporting rods inserted thereinand v Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are front, end and top views respectively, of thesecuring fixtures according to the present embodiment of the invention.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the stair steps 10 are provided with a stripof carpet 11 in the usual manner, and in the four corners of the step,that is, at the back of the step adjacent the rise of the next step, andat the front of the step at the under side of the ledge or overhangingportion, and preferably inwardly of the edges of the carpet, there areprovided retaining or securing fixtures consisting of a strip of metalhaving a flat portion 12 adapted to be engaged with the step, and atubular bent over portion 13 having its edge spaced from the portion 12to provide a slot. The fixtures are secured to the step by means ofscrews 14, openings 15 being provided in the portion 12 therefor, whilein the portion 13 there are provided enlarged holes 16 for the insertionof a screw driver. Set-screws 17 are provided in the portion 13 forretaining the pad in place, as will presently more fullyappear. Thefixtures, it is clear, may

also be employed for securing the carpet upon the steps in place of theusual tacks.

Rods 18 and 19 are adapted to. have their ends disposed in the fixtures,and held thereby by the set screws 17, and over these rods extends thepad which consists-of a strip 20 of heavy canvas or other suitablematerial, having its ends sewed together so as to form a continuousband. The side edge of the band preferably extends to the ends of therods which are inserted in the fixtures as shown in Fig. 4, the padextending through the slot of the fixtures. The set screws 17 aretightened to hold the rod in place and by engagement with the pad, holdsthe same against side movement and looseness.

IVhen it is desired to renew a worn portion of the pad, the set screwsmay be loosened to permit removal of the rods, andby shifting the padupon the rods, the worn portion may be rolled under a short distance andout of sight. The pad may with facility be detached for cleaning and asreadily put in place again. The holding of the pad by the rods and setscrews, retains it at all times in a taut condition making it neat andattractive in appearance, and preventing stretching of the same by thescufling of the feet as they engage the pad. For hotels, publicbuildings, etc., where the pad is subjected to intense and constantusage, it will be preferably formed of a heavy canvas, while in homes,linen or other suitable material may be used, and the same may be of anydesirable color or design.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodimentof my invention, but it is obvious that changes may be made thereinwithin the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim i 1. A protective pad of the character described for use oncarpeted stairs and including a flexible and endless band of a suitableprotective material placed over the carpet on each step of the stairs,retaining means fitting within the opposite closed ends of the endlessflexible band for permitting movement of the band thereon wherebysuccessive renewal portions may be brought uppermost, said means beingnon-continuous and allowing the upper and lower runs of the band to cometogether between the retaining means.

2. A protective pad for stairs, comprising a continuous band of aprotective flexible material having an upper wearing surface, a pair ofretaining rods extending through said band adapted to permit shifting ofsaid band to enable successive renewal of portions of the wearingsurface, and fastening means to secure said rods in spaced relation tohold said band stretched.

8. A protective pad for stairs, comprising a continuous band of aprotective flexible material having an upper wearing surface, a pair ofretaining rods extending through said band adapted to permit shifting ofsaid band to enable successive renewal of portions of the wearingsurface, fastening means to secure said rods in spaced relation to holdsaid band stretched, and consisting of socket members to receive theends of said rods, and means for removably securing said rods therein.

4. A protective pad for stairs, comprising a continuous band of'aprotective flexible material having an upper wearing surface, a pair ofretaining rods extending through said band adapted to permit shifting ofsaid band to enable successive renewal of portions of the wearingsurface, fastening means to secure said rods in spaced relation to holdsaid band stretched, and consisting of socket members to receive theends of said rods, and means to secure the ends of said rods and themargins of said bands, said means engaging the ends of said rods and themargins of said bands to removably secure said rods in said socketmembers and to prevent side shifting movement of said band.

5. A. protective stair pad, comprising an endless band of protectiveflexible material having an outer wearing surface, and retaining meansplaced within the endless band and adapted to permit shifting of saidhand to enable successive renewal of portions of the wearing surface,said retaining means being movable apart for drawing the endless bandtaut.

, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name hereunder.

NORMAN C. PARKER.

